Drop-leaf extension table



Dec. 19 1950 1 T. WATTS DROP-LEAF EXTENSION TABLE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FiledAug. 3, 1948 INVENTOR. 0a/5f 7 WATTS ,P A M L. T. WATTS DROP-LEAFEXTENSION TABLE Dec. 19, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 5, 1948 iINVENTOR. 0a/5f 7, WAV-T5 Patented Dec. 19, 1950 UNITED STATES )PATENTOFFICE DROP-LEAF EXTENSION TABLE Louise 'I'. Watts, New York, N. Y.

Application August 3', 1948, Serial No. 42,315

3 Claims.

This invention relatesI to folding tables, and particularly to tableshaving a fixed or central section and one cr more drop leaves.

The usual drop-leaf table has a xed section with a hinged drop leaf ateither the end cr side thereof. Tables of this type as heretofore made,have had complicated leg constructions, and these constructions havemade it diicult for those seated at the table to find leg space underthe table. In addition, such tables have been costly to construct,requiring a large number of parts, and when constructed have been heavyand otherwise unwieldy to handle.

The principal object cf the present invention accordingly, is to producea simple folding table of the kind described, which will overcome atleast some of the disadvantages of previous dropleaf tables. 4

The invention accordingly comprises the novel apparatus and combinationsthereof, specic embodiments of which are described herein by way ofexample and in accordance with the manner in which I now prefer topractice the invention.

I have found, in accordance with my invention, that a simple type offolding drop-leaf table may be made employing a central or xed sectionwith one or more hinged drop leaves, each of a width less than theheight of the table, which provides an uncomplicated leg constructionpermitting ample leg space underneath the table, and which may beconstructed and sold at a relatively small price. I have found, inaccordance with my invention, that such a construction may be producedby having a central section with xed legs and one or more swinging apronmembers having two interconnected legs, one at either end thereof,movable as a unit, with each apron member attached to one of the ixedlegs and arranged to be swung outwardly from the central section tosupport its respective drop leaf, with which it may be locked inposition. The apron member and attached legs are fcldable toward andmovable away from the center section as a unit.

In the accompanying drawings showing an embodiment of my invention as Inow prefer to practice it- Fig. l is a plan view of the table partiallybroken away, showing a Xed or central section with two drop leaves;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the table shown in Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a plan view partially broken away, of the central section withthe drop leaves lowered;

- Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the central section of the table withthe drop leaves lowered;

.55 leaf i2.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail view of the xed leg hinged to the swingingapron;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail View of the attachment of the swingingapron to one leg of the end apron; and

Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail View of the bullet catch for locking eachof the drop leaves to the respective end aprons.

Referring now to these drawings, the numeral i designates the flat topof the xed or central section provided with fixed legs 2 and 3 securedto the under side thereof, which support this section on the floor orother surface. To each of the legs 2 and 3 respectively, are joinedswinging apron members i and 5. Member 4 is arranged to swing outwardlyfrom the central section and is attached to a leg which in turn isjoined by an end apron member i, to a leg 8. The two legs 6 and 3 arelocated at opposite ends of the apron member l. Similarly, the swingingapron member 5 is attached to leg 3 and arranged to swing outwardlytherefrom. The opposite end of this apron member 5i is attached to leg9, which in turn is attached by an end apron member l0 to leg l i. Themember Il is attached to the xed leg 2 by a hinge 2a at one end, and bya hinge 6a to the leg (i. Similarly, one end of the member 5 is attachedby hinge 3a to the leg 3, and the opposite end is attached by a hinge 9ato the leg 9. The central section as shown here is oblong inconstruction and is provided with two drop leaves l2 and E3, each beinghinged, respectively, by hinges I4 and l5 to the longitudinal edges ofthe central section. The drop leaves and center section may have curvededges to give a somewhat rounded table instead of the rectilinear tableshown, if desired.

When the section il? is raised about its hinge i4, the end apron memberl may be grasped and swung outwardly from the center section about thehinges 2a and da.. In crder to lock the legs 6 and 5 in position tosupport the drop leaf I2, a twopiece locking member or bullet catch isprovided. The description of the positioning of the locking member andits parts is the same for each of the two locking members employed forlocking the respective drop leaves and accordingly, a description of onesuch two-piece locking member and its position and attachment will suicefor both. The two-piece locking member consists of a male member l5,which is attached by screws to the outer face of the end apron member l,and a female member il, which is attached by screws to the under side ofthe drop As here shown, the two-piece locking member is positionedapproximately centrally of the end apron 'I and along the centraltransverse axis of the drop leaf i2, the two pieces being positionedywith respect to one another` so that the male member I on the apron maybe advanced into and locked in the female member I'l attached to thedrop leaf. For the purpose of locking, two spring-held plungers I8 areprovided on either side of a cavity in the female member, the springstending to urge these plungers toward one another. The male member is inthe form of a Stud having a base I9, which is the portion attached tothe apron, and a shank having iiared sides and rounded end 2l. This lockis arranged so that upon thrusting the shank into the cavity of thefemale part, the plungers i3 are pushed aside until the rounded end ofthe shank moves therepast, whereupon they move toward one another andhold the male member by pressing against the surfaces 29.

When the swinging apron 4 is moved inwardly towards the central sectionabout the hinges 2a and 6a, it will come to rest against an abutmentdesignated 22, which consists of a short block attached to the underside of the central section. Strip 23 serving to brace the leg 2, isalso attached to the under side of the central section and is generallyaligned with the block 22. Similarly, when the swinging apron 5 is movedtoward the central section, it comes to rest against a block 24.Generally, aligned strip 25 serves to brace leg 3.

In operation, assuming that the table is in the collapsed or loweredposition shown in Fig. 4, in order to extend and fix the drop leaf onthe left in the lgure, all that is necessary is to raise the drop leafI2 about the hinge I4 and to reach under the drop leaf to grasp the endapron l. This end apron is then pulled outwardly from the centralsection about the hinges 2a and So, thus advancing the legs 6 and 8attached to the apron. The apron and associated parts are advanced untilthe two pieces I6 and Il of the locking member lock in one another.Similarly, to

raise the drop leaf I3, a similar outward movement of the apron I0 andlocking of the twopiece locking member is effected. When the table is soarranged with the drop leaves in position, it will be noted that it hassix legs supporting the three top sections, namely, the central sectionand two drop leaves. Two of these legs 6 and 8 are situated near theouter corners of the drop leaf I2 and similarly, legs 9 and II beingsituated near the outer corners of the drop leaf I3, each apron member 4and 5, respectively, being sufficiently long to permit this.Accordingly, the drop leaves are supported near their outer corners bythese legs in cooperation with the apron members. Similarly, fixed legs2 and 3 are located at opposite corners of the central section I; thusthere are three legs on each side of the table as extended. The leg 6 isapproximately aligned with leg II and leg 8 is approximately alignedwith leg 9. The legs 2 and 3 are a little outside of the alignmenttowards the respective outer edges of the extended table. It will beobvious, of course, that the table may be used simply as a centralsection alone, or one drop leaf may be raised and the other left inlowered position, or both drop leaves may be raised as above indicated.

The table is simple in construction. The number of supporting legs islow, and yet the table is stable and. non-tipping. The table is notexpensive to manufacture and there is ample leg space beneath the cover,either in extended position or otherwise. The leg space beneath thecentral section is somewhat less than that provided under the dropleaves when extended, but there is ample leg space under the centralsection.

What I claim is:

l. A foldable table comprising a fixed center section having not morethan two legs, a drop leaf hinged to said center section, said drop leafhaving a width less than the height of the table, a pair ofinterconnected foldable legs, movable as a unit, and a swingable apronmember hinged at one end to said leg unit and hinged at its other end tosaid fixed center section, the apron member having a length so that whenthe leaf is extended it is supported near its outer corners by said pairof legs in cooperation with said apron member, said leg and apron memberbeing foldable as a unit into a position below the xed center section.

2. A foldable table in accordance with claim l which includes acooperating spring locking means for limiting the outward movement ofthe leg unit and locking such unit in extended position.

3. A foldable table in accordance with claim 1 in which there are twolegs respectively under each of said center section and said drop leafsection, said legs being positioned in approximate alignment along eachlongitudinal side of the table.

LOUISE T. WATTS.

REFERENCES CITED The `following references are of record in the le ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 407,908 Stockrnan July 30, 1889553,721 Piaget Jan. 28, 1896 897,520 Brenner Sept. 1, 1908 1,472,575Anderson Oct. 30, 1923 1,516,323 Bilton Nov. 18, 192-1

